Summary: Luther is suspicious, Kenna is worried, and Diavolos is reassuring. I took some creative liberties with the timeline from the book of Raydan returning to Azura’s troops showing up, so it doesn’t quite match up.
Diavolos spends yet another sleepless night at the castle in Stormholt. This time, his thoughts go back and forth between Kenna, her hands and mouth on him (though he purposely tries not to think about how she’d gotten so good with them), the sounds she made as she let go, the feel of her body rocking against his…and then the intrusive, unwelcome thoughts of returning to his room and finding Zenobia and Luther.
He isn’t particularly concerned about Zenobia. She’ll find something, someone, new to gossip about tomorrow, or he’ll ask Tevan to talk to her and she’ll be distracted for days. But his father…Luther is persistent, single-minded, relentless in getting information and getting his way. Diavolos knows his father won’t let this go, will be watching them even more closely than usual.
Diavolos can’t stomach the thought of Luther using this information against him, against Kenna, against…whatever they are. He’s not sure what would be worse: Luther seeing this as a betrayal and retaliating against Diavolos, or seeing it as a chance to manipulate Kenna.
I’ve fallen for Kenna.
He’s known this, tried to ignore it, but finally being with her makes it hit him like a ton of bricks. Diavolos laughs to himself at the realization. Who would have thought the one woman who would drive him to distraction, make him even consider defying his father, would be Kenna Rys?
~~~~~~~~~~
Val is immediately suspicious when Kenna runs into her in the morning and they head down to the banquet hall together.
“You’re smiling too much,” Val declares.
“What?” Kenna laughs. “I can’t smile now?”
Val scowls. “Did I say that? I said you’re smiling too much. It’s not normal.”
Kenna tries to play it off. “Battle preparations are going well. I slept well. That’s all.”
Val has no need to know that she slept well because Diavolos absolutely exhausted and sated her beyond belief. Val clearly doesn’t believe her, judging by the smirk on her face, but she lets it go, walking off.
Kenna makes her way around the banquet hall, checking in with Annelyse and Madeline, Dom and Sei, Tevan and Aurynn. Plans and preparations are going as well as can be expected for preparing to fight someone like Azura.
Diavolos and Luther enter the banquet hall, talking in hushed tones. Diavolos glances over and gives her a quick grin, less smug than usual and more affectionate, making her heart jump a little. She doesn’t miss the way Luther narrows his eyes and gives her a cold smile. Not that Luther ever gives her a warm smile, but there’s something decidedly less pleasant about this one. She wonders what could have possibly happened in the last 8 hours. Unless…
No.
She can’t, won’t, believe that Diavolos told Luther what happened. The thought makes her stomach clench and her throat tighten. Her eyes flick back to Diavolos’ face, searching for some reassurance that she didn’t just make a massive mistake, that he’s not going to crush her heart to pieces.
Her heart…
Has she really fallen for Diavolos Nevrakis? Kenna tries to shake the thought off, but it’s persistent, has been at the back of her mind for days. No matter that she’s only known him for a couple weeks, that this could be a colossal error of judgment, that the baggage between their families could sink the entire Nevrakis fleet…she wants him.
Diavolos gives her a faint smile and inclines his head slightly in the direction of the secret passageway. It reassures her, at least a little bit. If he’d only wanted to bed her, he’d accomplished that and wouldn’t have flashed her that affectionate look and wanted to talk to her…would he?
~~~~~~~~~~
The day is beyond chaotic. Kenna feels like she barely has any time to catch her breath before she’s on to the next conversation, reviewing battle plans and troop placements, making adjustments where necessary. She finally finds a moment to sneak away early in the afternoon, when everyone has taken a quick break.
She catches Diavolos’ eye as she walks out and heads towards the secret passageway. She’s antsy as she waits for him, fidgety, and it frustrates her. She wishes she could just be calm about this whole situation, whatever it is now.
Just when Kenna begins to wonder if Diavolos is going to show, he appears suddenly, grabbing her hand and tugging her into her bedroom.
“What are you-?”
Diavolos cuts her off, his lips pressed to hers as he pushes her against the door. This kiss is different from the others they’ve shared, the desperation evident in his movements. His hands are everywhere, in her hair, running down her sides, wrapping around her back to pull her in close. She slips her arms around his neck, wondering what’s going on. Something has obviously happened since he left her bed last night.
Kenna wrenches away, gasping. Diavolos leans his forehead against hers, arms tight around her waist.
“What’s going on?” Kenna asks.
Diavolos pulls back to look her in the eye. “My father and Zenobia were in my room last night when I went back. Zenobia suggested I’d been off sleeping with someone and then mentioned you, and now my father is suspicious.”
Kenna leans back against the door. “Hells…” she whispers.
She laughs bitterly. “Well. I’m sure he wouldn’t look on this favorably.”
“No,” Diavolos agrees. “And you know my father, Kenna. He’s relentless.”
Kenna nods, silent. There was always a risk of getting caught, sneaking off with him like this. But she’d expected it to be Jackson that would out them, not Luther getting suspicious.
Peering up at Diavolos, he looks understandably troubled.
He’s torn, she’s sure, between a lifetime of following his father’s orders without question, doing things to defend and ensure the future and power of the Nevrakis name, and whatever he feels for her. As much as she knows Diavolos is not his father, she feels like she can’t expect to have more of a hold on him than his loyalty to his family.
Kenna pushes against his chest, trying to make the decision for him. “We always knew we could get caught,” she says, trying to keep the trembling out of her voice. “We’ll just have to…stop whatever this is. Was. We can’t afford a breakdown in this alliance now.” She smiles tightly.
Diavolos frowns, stepping closer to her. “Is that what you want? To stop?” he asks, his breath warm against her ear.
“It’s what has to be done.”
“That’s not what I asked.” Diavolos presses his lips to her neck, feather light. “Is stopping this what you want?”
Kenna closes her eyes, his mouth warm against her skin as he kisses up to her ear. “…no,” she whispers. “But I, we, can’t risk losing this war over-”
“Over what, Kenna?” Diavolos pulls back and she opens her eyes. “Do you really think I’d risk this war, my father’s wrath, over trying to get you in bed? That’s not what this is.”
She hadn’t expected a confession like this from him, though it relieves her that he obviously considers this more than just a physical relationship, a slight smile crossing her face.
It would be easier, she knows, if this had all just been physical. But she’d suspected, even after that first stolen kiss in the dungeons, that she wouldn’t be able to keep her feelings out of anything further with him.
“…I know,” Kenna finally answers.
She sighs. “What do we do now?”
Diavolos runs a hand through her hair reassuringly. “Now we go back downstairs, and keep preparing for this battle. I’ll keep an eye on my father.”
He pauses, smiling at her suggestively, that familiar smug look on his face. “Or we could stay up here…”
Kenna laughs. “I think people will be looking for us soon. We should go back downstairs.”
He leans in to kiss her all too briefly. “If you insist.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The afternoon is about as stressful as Diavolos had expected it to be, although Kenna’s announcement that he would be commanding the Abanthus troops certainly made things more interesting. Luther is furious, of course, and Diavolos wonders briefly what Kenna was possibly thinking. But it’s a smart decision, he comes to realize, and he tries to convince his father of that.
It would have made no sense for Kenna to attempt to command them.
“Even that naive girl isn’t stupid enough to try that,” Luther sneers. “But tell me, son why she would put you in command? I’ve commanded these troops for years, have fought against the witch’s troops before, and managed not to engage in a silly competition I had no chance of winning.”
Diavolos forces himself to remain calm. “Alliance or not, she doesn’t trust you. You don’t trust her. She and I at least don’t have any sort of history.”
“Don’t you?” Luther asks coldly.
Diavolos grits his teeth. “I’ve known her, what, two weeks? I haven’t killed any of her family members and she hasn’t killed any of our troops in that time. It’s the most positive relationship between a Nevrakis and a Rys we could hope for. At least one of us will be commanding our troops and we’ll have a chance to end this damn thing, once and for all.”
Luther considers him carefully. “You’re a better liar than I give you credit for, Diavolos. I’ve seen the way she looks at you and the way you look at her. Whatever you two are doing, have done, know this. She’ll never restore power of Abanthus to a Nevrakis.”
Luther’s expression turns hostile as he gets in Diavolos’ face. “So if bedding her, or whatever…feelings you think you have are more important than your flesh and blood and your future, then by all means, go right on ahead with your idiotic actions.”
Diavolos clenches his fists briefly, trying to control his anger. Luther notices, of course, and smirks darkly.
“But don’t think for one second that I’m going to allow Kenna Rys to destroy us.” Luther turns and walks off.
Diavolos has the sudden urge to slam his fist into a wall, but Annelyse walks by. “What’s wrong?” she asks, looking concerned.
“Nothing,” he mutters. “Absolutely nothing.”
Everything, he thinks miserably. What is he supposed to do now?
~~~~~~~~~~
The news that Azura’s troops will arrive in less than a day sends everyone into a panicked frenzy, until Kenna manages to reassure them. They’ve prepared as much as can be expected against someone like Azura, she points out calmly. She calls for a banquet to be held, knows that a night of food and drinks and away from battle preparations will do everyone a world of good.
She’s worried, knows everyone else is too, but having everyone obsess over minute details and panicking won’t do any good. The banquet seems to help everyone relax, at least a little bit. Kenna circulates around the room, socializing and allowing herself to indulge in one drink with Val.
She’s amused with how flustered Zenobia gets when Kenna offers to fight her, and again when Tevan talks to her. Luther is his usual aggravating self, and though she’s tempted to slap him, with his suspicions about her and Diavolos, she chooses to walk away.
Kenna finally approaches the last Nevrakis in the room, sitting at the end of a table.
“You don’t dance?” she asks Diavolos.
“Oh, I dance. I’m a great dancer,” he replies, grinning at her. “Just not the night before a battle. Too tense.”
He fidgets, frowning slightly.
“Are you nervous?” she asks. She feels silly asking him, but she’s used to seeing him so confident and reassured that it’s strange seeing him like this.
“Gods, yes. I’m so nervous I want to flip this table over, or drink myself sick, or scream, or…” he trails off, laughing and shaking his head. “Anything to burn off some of this steam.”
He looks at her meaningfully, and Kenna swallows hard, feeling her cheeks flush. She knows exactly what he means, feels the same way.
She jokingly mentions Zenobia complaining about the lack of fights, which makes him laugh and shake his head, making some comment about Zenobia being a hair puller.
Diavolos stands, pushing away from the table and stretching his arms over his head. He shoots her a grin as he notices her watching, then glances around the room quickly. Luther is absorbed in a conversation with Florian.
Diavolos leans down quickly. “I’m going to take a walk. Perhaps I’ll find myself in the secret passageway.”
He smiles at her, that affectionate smile that makes her heart flutter, before he straightens and walks away, his fingers drumming out the rhythm to the music against his leg.
Kenna waits a few minutes, making sure Luther is distracted, then slips away.
Diavolos pulls her into a searing kiss the second she reaches him, his mouth and his hands hot and demanding. He pulls her into her bedroom, whirling her around and lifting her up so her back is pressed against the wall. She moans low in her throat, wrapping her legs around him as he sucks and bites at her neck. Diavolos fumbles with her clothing, making a frustrated sound and setting her down briefly to strip her armor off. He goes to lift her again, but she tugs at his clothing impatiently and he all but rips them off.
Kenna reaches out, running her fingers slowly down his chest and his stomach, tracing the lines of his muscles, over his hips, then lower, moving her hand up and down over him. Diavolos grunts, grabbing her hand and lifting her up again before she can protest.
“I want you,” he says gruffly into her ear.
“I want you too,” she gasps, as he bites at her clavicle and walks them over to the bed.
He lays her down, more gently than she expected with the way he’d been on her when they entered the room.
Diavolos leans over her, brushing the hair out of her face and kissing her, slow and soft at first, then deeper, his tongue tangling with hers. His hands slide under her thighs, pulling her legs up around his waist. She thrusts up into him impatiently.
“I don’t want to wait,” she murmurs against his throat.
“In a minute,” he reassures her, releasing his grip on her and moving between her legs. He brushes his mouth between her folds, over her clit, then slides his tongue into her. He knows just how to bring her close, but stops before she completely falls apart underneath him. She lets out a shuddery sob, shaking, and moans his name. He stops moving altogether, just for a second, then brings his tongue up to her clit, driving her over the edge.
She collapses against the sheets, gasping for breath, as Diavolos moves back up over her, kissing her deeply, then pushes into her, his movements restrained and controlled at first. She can feel how different this time is from last night, with the very real threat of dying tomorrow looming over them.
Kenna sighs, the feel of him all-consuming and making her more emotional than she expected. She nudges him gently. “Roll over,” she murmurs.
He rolls onto his back, staring up at her as she leans down, pressing her lips to his. His hands brush against her breasts, down her sides, then squeeze her hips lightly.
She feels tears prick the back of her eyes and blinks them back, her feelings bubbling to the surface. Now is not the time to say anything, she knows, but she’s having a hard time not telling him how much she cares about him.
“I…” The word slips out of her mouth before she manages to swallow the rest of them down.
Diavolos runs his hands down her back, gentle and soothing.
“I know,” he murmurs against her mouth. “Me too.”
He lifts her up easily and she moans as they come together. His hands settle at her waist as they move against each other, the room nearly silent but for their moans and rapid breathing and the quiet crackle of the fire.
Diavolos tugs her down across his chest as he starts to move more rapidly. He’s close, his breathing harsh against her ear, his movements becoming erratic. He slips one hand down in between them, brushing over her clit, and he presses his mouth to hers, swallowing her cries as she comes.
“Kenna,” he groans a second later, following after her and dropping his head back against the pillow.
She can’t bring herself to move right away, likes the feel of his skin cooling against hers, his heartbeat steady in her ear, his hands running up and down her back. She finally sits up, sliding over him and laying on her side facing him. Diavolos moves closer, threading his hand into her hair and kissing her, a sweet kiss that leaves her feeling even more emotional than before.
“Kenna,” he says quietly, cupping her face in his hand. “I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but…I will do everything I can to protect you.”
Her brow wrinkles in confusion. “What do you-”
He interrupts her, his finger gentle against her lips. “Just…remember that. Okay?”
She’s missing something, knows he isn’t just referring to Azura, and her eyes flash with sudden understanding. Luther is planning something, she realizes. She should have known he’d never accept any outcome but being returned to power. Fury rises inside her.
Diavolos yanks her in tight against him suddenly. “Kenna, I promise you. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe,” he whispers fiercely against her ear.
She feels her anger ebb slightly at his words.
He is not just his father’s son, she reminds herself.
Nevrakis or not…she trusts him. To do the right thing, to stand up for what he believes is right, to defend her.
“I trust you,” she murmurs against him. She feels him press a gentle kiss to her hair.
“I trust you too,” he says quietly.
She takes a deep breath and then scoots back, sitting up.
“I wish you could stay,” she admits.
“So do I. But we’d never get any sleep then,” he teases her.
She laughs as they stand and dress slowly. “I don’t know. Something tells me you’d indulge me if I asked just to cuddle.”
Diavolos grins, cocky as always. “Only for you.”
“We should get back to the banquet,” she says as she goes to open the door.
“Hmm,” he says, grabbing her hand and turning her to press another kiss to her lips.
She smiles softly. “What was that for?”
“Call it…another strategizing session,” he grins.
Kenna can’t help but laugh as she steps out her door. “I’ll see you down there.”